Portaling: Do's and Don'ts
by Caris L. Clearwater
Summary: Magic. It can be a problem. And no one knows better than Portal witch, Violetta Parker. So she knows she's potentially screwed when she's sucked into a Portal with no way out. Good news? She's run into the Flock. Bad news? She might never make it home.
1. Ouch

Part One: Why do I get the feeling that something went wrong here?

Chapter One: Ouch.

**Wait! Okay, before we start this fabulous story--**

**Violeta: Which would be when, again? **

**Me: Shut up, Vi. I'm about to introduce you! **

**Violeta:-grumbles-**

**Me: Anyhow, as I was saying, before we start off my fabulous new story—**

**Violeta: **_**You're **_**story? Ha! You just wrote down **_**my**_** story on a piece of paper and put your name on it! **

**Me: Moving on. Anyhow, **_**as I was saying**_** this story is much too long and complicated for me to work on, seeing as I've two other stories in process at the moment. So, to lighten the load, I am hereby handing over this story to you, Vi. **

**Violeta: W-what? Are you flipping serious? **

**Me: -nods- But don't get too carried away, now! I'll be coming back to check on you! **

**Violeta: Yeah, yeah. But can you believe it? She's letting me call the shots now! Thought she'd never let me out of the dark crevasses of her mind! **

**Me: No need to tell the general public about that….**

**Violeta: I mean, I thought I'd **_**never **_**get out of there—**

**Me: Vi! Enough! You have a story to write, and this A/N is getting way too long. So, I'm leaving to go work on The Girl in the Other Room now. Be good. **

**Violeta: Yes, Mother. **

**Me: Don't forget to do the declaimer! I'm too young to get sued! **

**Violeta: I'll put it at the end. Are we done yet, Caris? **

**Me: I suppose…Well, I've said all I can say! Later people! –vanishes-**

**Violeta: Finally. I thought we'd never get rid of her…… **

**And now, on with the freaking story…….**

Have you ever lain awake at night, staring straight up at your ceiling, not able to sleep? Ever felt like there was enough energy in your body to power all of New York city, and possibly L.A.? Well, that was how I felt late that Saturday night. I was trying, and failing, to go to sleep. I'd tried counting sheep, clearing my mind, drinking warm milk, ect. Nothing seemed to work. My very molecules seemed to running at high speed. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so hyper and skittish.

I turned over in bed to look at my clock. I groaned. It was two a.m. Two in the flipping morning. I sat up, curling myself into a small ball. I put my head in my hands, massaging my temples. There was no way I was getting any sleep. Not tonight.

I climbed out of bed, shivering. It was early December, and it was just below forty degrees where I lived. In fact, the weather reports suggested a snow storm might be coming our way next week. Now, I didn't usually trust the weather reports, but my mentor, Lucy, had backed them up. "It's gonna be a killer," she had said, lifting her nose to the wind.

Ignoring the cold I stripped down to my bare essentials, quickly rummaging through my closet for something to wear. Since I was so restless, I decided a quick walk down the street might settle my nerves. I reached in and grabbed a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. Fumbling in the dark I put my clothes on. I then slipped my cardigan over my shirt and stuffed my cell phone in one of my back pockets. You know, just in case I was attacked by rabid dogs or something.

"Meow?" I glanced down at my kitty-cat, Black Demon. He was staring up at me intently, his deep green eyes seeming to stare into my soul.

"I'm just going out for a quick walk, 'kay? I'll be back before you know it, Blackie." My cat protested loudly as I walked past him and out of my bedroom, but he might as well have been trying to wrestle a troll. My two sisters, Abigail and Brianna, were the only other two people on this floor of the house, and you'd need a foghorn to wake them up. When they were gone, they were _gone_ baby.

I crept down the stairs of my house, tiptoeing past my parents bedrooms. They were lighter sleepers, and though I knew they couldn't hear Blackie howling upstairs, I was still on guard. My mother had the uncanny ability to awake just when I was planning on slipping out of the house. But, surprisingly, she didn't stir as I opened and closed the door to my house. Maybe that should've been my first clue that something was wrong.

As soon as I was free I skipped down the front steps leading up to my house. I breathed in the scent of pine trees and shivered. Normally I didn't like the cold, but tonight it felt refreshing. Like I was burning up on the inside and the air was cooling me down.

This will be henceforth known as clue number two.

I swung my arms back and forth, moving at an easy pace down the street. I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling like I could run a marathon. God, I felt like I could run past a few state borders! I moved faster, feeling the wind on my cheeks. The moon was full and shining down upon me, its gentle light a comfort.

Soon I just couldn't help it; I ran. I starting running, and couldn't stop. I felt like I was going to explode into the night and beyond. I was pumping my arms by my sides, my breath coming out in short gasps that I could see. I no longer felt cold. In fact, I was practically sweating. It seemed like there were burning coals in the pits of my stomach, burning their way through my skin.

Strike three and you're out.

Not that there was really anything I could have done at this point. The energy was already running through me, faster than ever. I was seeing a rainbow's worth of colors, and I could hear the wind roaring in my ears. My body felt weightless, and the burning feeling was spreading to every part of me. By the time I realized what was happening, it was far too late. My connections with my world were dropping, growing fainter and fainter as the burning feeling spread. New connections to an unknown destination were being made, and I could feel myself being pulled and stretched, twisted in different directions. I tried to scream, but there was no air in my lungs. I didn't even have the power to stop running. My legs just kept moving with a mind of their own, until they were transparent, until there was nothing left of them, until there was hardly anything left of _me_…

It was around then that I fell through the portal.

*

Okay, so I guess I owe everyone here an explanation.

My name is Violeta Parker. I'm fourteen years old, live with my parents and sisters, go to school….Basically I'm your average teenager. You wouldn't be able to pick me out of a line-up, I'm so unnoticeable. Well, except for one _tiny_ detail.

I'm a witch.

Now, I know that the first thing you're going to say is: "A witch? You mean, like, Samantha or Sabrina?" And the first thing I will say in response is: "No, more like women you heard about when you read about the Salem witch trials. You know, the ones that enjoy cursing people for all of eternity?" I mean, really. We live in the 21st century for crying out loud! Can't a girl we a witch and not carry around a caldron?

Apparently not.

But, anyway, I'm getting off topic. You see, the point is, that I'm not strictly normal. Now, don't get the idea that I run around on a broomstick, cursing everyone from here to Salisbury. I just happen to have a few _talents_. One of them being Portaling.

Now, what's Portaling, you ask? Well, basically it's a witch's way of traveling through the different dimensions, time periods, and Otherworlds. Not every witch is a Portaler. Only certain witches, the kind that are more in touch with the Earth and nature, have the knack for Portaling. I just happen to be one of them.

Portaling isn't easy. You can't just snap your fingers and pop up in 1958. No, to Portal you need to build up the magick in your system and release in a controlled state, your destination clear in your mind. If you don't control your magick you could Portal virtually anywhere. And when I say anywhere, I mean _anywhere_. A lose cannon Portaler is a witch's worst nightmare. With no idea where you are or where you're going, things could easily get messy.

So, now do you see why I'm totally screwed?

*

There's no way to describe Portaling. It's like being hot and cold all at once. It's like have no weight with the world pressing down upon your shoulders. You feel excited and at the same time so scared you think you might wet yourself. This was basically my experience.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but was probably only a minute, I landed. Seeing as how I haven't Portaled anywhere in four months my landing was a bit off. And when I say a bit, I mean I slammed into a wall and then landed on the ground, staring up at a ceiling.

_Oh, crap,_ I thought, moaning. I hadn't had a Portal land this bumpy since the time I tried to land on top of my roof, twenty years in the past. I rolled over, mentally checking my body for abnormalities. After a moment I determined that nothing was broken or sprained, just badly bruised. I slowly picked myself up, trying to determine where I was.

_Well, I'm defiantly in this dimension, _I thought, noting how normal and human the room seemed. It looked abandoned, as though it hadn't been used for years. This was good. This meant that I wouldn't be attracting anyone's attention and would be able to figure out where I was in peace.

I slowly stood, glancing around the room for something that would tell me what year it was. _I wonder if I'm in one of the Otherworlds,_ I thought, glancing around. More than likely I had just jumped back a few months, maybe a few years, and would be able to call up Lucy for help getting back. She'd Portal over to me and we'd be on our merry way by sunrise.

_Creak._ I whipped around. Something had defiantly made a noise, and whatever it was was too heavy to be a mouse. I peered into the gloom, wishing I'd eaten more carrots in my early childhood. Night vision would really come in handy at moments like these.

"Hello?" I called out, trying to make my voice firm. "Anyone there?" The gloom didn't respond. A normal person might've just passed of the creak as the old house groaning. But I wasn't normal. Right now all of my witch senses were on hyper alert. I opened my hands so my palms were facing outward. I felt the energy and magick that had been building up inside of me all night race into my arms, singing in my veins. _Come on out, punk, _I thought. _I dare you. _

_Creak. _There it was again! This time I knew for sure I wasn't imagining things. I lowered my body so that my weight was distributed evenly, my arms extended. I pulled my lips back over my teeth and sniffed the air. Something was defiantly there, waiting in the shadows. Something human. No, wait, not human. Something else….something feathery?

I was just about to call out into the gloom again when a girl around my age in holey jeans and a plain T-shirt stepped out of the shadows. I gasped and backpedaled despite myself. She was just so…fierce-looking. Everything thing about her gave off the general vibe: stay away from me unless you live near a hospital. She had sensibly short dirty-blond hair. She was lean and muscular, her hands clenched into fists. I instantly knew that if it came down to a fist fight that she would win, no doubt about it. I would just have to pray that I had enough tricks up my sleeves to get away.

"Who are you?" the girl asked, her voice so low and gravely it sounded like a growl.

"Um, a figment of your imagination?" For a moment the girl's lips twitched, but then all signs of humor were gone.

"I mean it," she said, taking a step forward. "Who are you? Why are you here?" I gulped. How the heck was I supposed to explain to this girl that I was a Portaling witch who'd lost her way?

"I…um, I…" I started backing up again. My eyes flicked to the window on my right. I was just about to try and make a jump for it when a tall dark-haired boy appeared at the fierce girl's side.

"I think you'd better answer her question," he said. I shivered. His voice was like ice.

"Yeah, you don't want to make Max angry." Out of the shadows yet _another_ boy came. My god, how many of them where there?

"I, uh, think it's a little late for that," I said, gulping. The newest boy was pale as moonlight with strawberry-blonde hair and light blue eyes. These three scared me, but all of them seemed familiar somehow. _Where have I heard the name Max before? _

Well, as much as I would have liked to contemplate this, my time was running out, and her numbers were increasing. For, just as I thought this, another girl stepped out of the shadows. She was younger that the other three, but just as tough-looking. I had no doubt that she could also kick my butt into next Tuesday without even batting an eye. I needed to get out of there. Fast.

"Listen, Max, I would really love to stay and chat, but I really do have to—" Suddenly a look of horror crossed my face. "Holy crap, what the heck is that?!" For a split second the kids turned and I used that to make a break for the door. I ran so fast I almost left my stomach by the window.

"Get her!" Max yelled. My heart pounding I slammed the door shut on them, turning to run down the hall. I ran blindly, my breath coming out in gasps. It was soon clear to me that these kids were also insanely fast. I had a head start, though, and I used that advantage as much as possible.

"Gazzy! Angel! Stop her!" Suddenly _two more_ kids popped out in front of me. Seriously, were these guys coming out of the wallpaper or something?

No time to think about that. Instead I flung up my arms, summing my magick. It raced down my arms and pooled in my palms and fingertips. I felt the air around and in front of me, and quickly sent a large blast of it careening at the two smaller children. The two shocked kids stumbled and that was all the opportunity I needed. I pushed past them and flew down the corridor.

_Come on, come on! Where's the freaking exit?_ I continued running as the confused sounds of angry street-kids sounded behind me. _There!_ I just about wept with joy when I saw the stairway.

And, the sad thing is, I would have made it, too. I started down the stairway, a head start to my advantage, but, being the klutz I am, tripped on the first step. I fell, face forward, down an entire flight of stairs. Looking back on it, I suppose I'm lucky that I didn't break my neck, but all I could think right then was, _Oh, crap, this hurts! _ I bounced down what must have been fifteen steps, landing in a heap at the bottom.

"Ahhh," I moaned. I was seeing spots and my legs were too wobbly to move. I curled up in a ball, trying to remember my name when the lead street-kid, Max, suddenly appeared before me. She wasn't even breathing hard, despite the energy I knew it must have taken to run down the stairs that fast. She was sneering at me, her lips pulled over her teeth. In seconds her friends caught up, surrounding me. I managed to pull myself into a sitting position as the street-kids closed in.

"Now," the girl said, "you're going to answer my questions. Who are you? Who sent you?" She leaned in closer, which as it turned out, was a big mistake.

I threw up my hands, letting my magick course through them, through the air. I could feel the particles beneath my fingertips buzzing, every one of them alive. I quickly brought them together, solidifying the air in front of me. Within milliseconds I had a miniature shield wrapped around me, separating me from the street-kids. Obviously Max hadn't realized this yet since she didn't even flinch when my hands came up. To her there would only be a slight shimmer in the air.

"I said who sent you?" she repeated. I didn't answer. Instead, keeping my hands up, I rose to my feet. All of the street-kids watched me, none of them suspecting a thing. They obviously though my open hands were a symbol of surrender. They were wrong. When a witch, especially a Portal witch, put up her hands, you are in for hell. When we put up our hands it isn't to signal for surrender; it's a signal of war.

"Stand back," I said, trying to look braver than I felt. The younger, light-haired boy snickered.

"Or what?" the older, darker boy said. I shrugged.

"Fine then. Try and fight me." The oldest girl, Max, burst out laughing. My eyes narrowed and the air around me buzzed with energy.

"F-fight y-y-you?" she asked in between giggles. "Are you kidding me? I could fight you in my sleep!" This made me madder. The air around me was practically sparkling with magick now. It would take an SUV for the street-kids to get past my anger-fueled shield now.

"Well, if you're too much of a buttercup to, I understand. I mean, you wouldn't want to break a nail, now would you?" This comment stopped all laughter. Apparently this Max girl was very sensitive about her femininity and didn't want anyone telling her what she could and couldn't do. Good. The more I distracted her and her friends the easer it would be to try and summon up another Portal.

"Alright," Max said, cracking her knuckles. "you asked for it." She was about to take a step forward when the small, blond girl by her side tugged on her sleeve.

"Max, don't!" Max turned to face the small girl.

"What is it Angel?" Angel turned to stare worriedly up at Max.

"Something's not right. I don't think you should fight her." Max scoffed.

"Angel, honey, please. I could fight this girl with my wings tied behind my back." I blinked, momentarily confused by this statement, until Max charged at me. She swung her fist right at my shield.

Perfect.

I watched as her fist crashed into my solidified air. I watched her face turn from mocking to horrified in seconds. I grinned.

"Oh, freak!" Max yelled, cradling her hand to her chest. Angel shook her head.

"You really should listen to me more, Max."

"Yeah, listen to Blondie more, Max," I said. Max looked like she was about to explode with fury. I could feel the magick in my system heating up my veins. It was only a matter of time before another Portal opened up. I just had to distract them for a few more minutes.

"You know, you think you're so tough," I continued. "You're really not. My grandma faces deadlier appoints at the supermarket." As lame as this come-back was it still seemed to heat up Max's blood.

"Shut up! Now answer the question! Who are you?" I felt like it was 100 degrees. I was sweating and breathing hard, feeling the pull of a new Portal in my core.

"I'm whoever I feel like being!" At this Max launched herself at me, banging her fists and feet at my shield to no apparent avail. My magick was strong and I was confident that it would hold.

"Max, stop!" the dark-haired boy yelled, grabbing Max's shoulders. "You're just goading her on." I blinked and suddenly the world was a thousand colors. God, I was so _close_. All I had to do was keep them busy for another thirty seconds. Then I would let go of my air magick and Portal back home. I could almost hear the wind roaring in my ears.

"Max…" Angel warned. For some reason I had the feeling that she understood what was happening. Almost like she could read my mind. God, where had I heard that before?! As I struggled to remember as the heat in my body grew toward its breaking point. I had only seconds now.

So I made a very big mistake. I let down my shields.

"So long, sweetheart," I whispered, feeling the roar of the wind, the pulse of my heart. My problem was that I was a second off. One crucial second off.

Before my brain could register what was happening Max's fist swung and hit my cheek. I never had time to shield. I was out cold before I hit the floor.

**Violeta: Dun dun dun! I just love cliffhangers. **

**Me: Huh, not bad. **

**Violeta: Caris! What're you doing here?**

**Me: Well, I was having some writers block on my other stories, so I thought I'd come check in on you. **

**Violeta: And…you love it, right? **

**Me: Eh, it's okay. **

**Violeta: What?! Are you kidding me? This is genius! A masterpiece! **

**Me: Like I said, it's okay. Now, Vi, what are we forgetting? **

**Violeta: Huh? **

**Me: The disclaimer! I told you to put in the disclaimer! **

**Violeta: Oh, right! I was just getting to that…**

**Me: Sure you were. **

**Disclaimer: We don't own Max Ride. **

**Claimer: We own Violeta, and anything of relating to Portaling or Portal witches. **

**Violeta: There, it's done. **

**Me: Finally. **

**Violeta/Me: And don't forget! R&R people. **

**Violeta: Yes, or I will use my scary magick on you. –raises arms-**

**Me: Vi! –smacks arms-**

**Violeta: Fine…**


	2. Well, You Caught Me

**Vi: Well, here we are again. This is the second chapter of Portaling: Do's and Don'ts. I would just like to remind everyone that Caris has two other Max Ride stories posted, one of which has been submitted to the Kill MarySue! contest. Please show your support and vote for Ice Cream, Anybody? which has been submitted for best comedy! **

**Disclaimer (I really am too young to get sued): I don't own Max Ride. If I did you would all be reading less Fax and more action, not to mention about a million other changes. But I don't. So there. **

**Claimer: I own everything of or relating to Portaling or Portal witches (considering I am one), and **_**you**_** will be the one getting sued if I see them anywhere but in this story. (Take that JP.) **

Chapter 2: Well, You Caught Me

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that my hands were tied behind my back. Generally, this is not something one should wake up to, even under the best of circumstances. I make it a rule of life not to wake up not knowing where I am, hands tied behind my back, and a killer headache messing with my mind.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring at a dusty wooden floor. _Okay, and this tells me what…? _I thought. I scrunched my eyes together, ignoring the pounding sensation in the back of my head. _C'mon, Vi, think! _

I took in my surroundings the best I could. I heard voices coming from the opposite side of the room, and, after a brief listening period, determined they were the voices of the people that had attacked me last night.

_Crap! _It was all coming back to me now. The rouge Portal, the landing, the street kids, the fight….crap. I was so unbelievably screwed. Judging from the light that was streaming in from the nearby window, it was morning, and I'd been here (wherever "here" was) all night. It was going to make the trip home _that_ much harder. The longer I stayed the more risk there was in my return trip. Not to mention my various injuries and magick shortage, that is.

A groan of despair escaped my lips and the voices immediately stopped speaking. There was silence for a few precious moments as I tried to right myself. Not an easy task when your hands are tied together and beginning to go numb, mind you.

As I struggled to sit up and _not_ make a complete and utter fool of myself, the leader, whatever her name was, came to stand before me, hands on her hips and a protective gleam in her eye.

In the light of day I could see her much more clearly. She was a girl about my age, perhaps a year older, with dirty blond hair and hard brown eyes. Her pale skin was practically coated in dirt and god-knows-what; her hair was grimy and dirty; she looked like any other homeless kid you might see prowling the streets late at night, looking for some cash or someone to mug.

But…there was something about her. Something _authoritative, _something that demanded respect. Maybe it was the way she held herself, proud and tall, like a queen at court. Maybe it was the way those other kids seemed to turn to her; the way she made it known she was the leader and, should anyone choose to forget that, they would get a firm whack in the head. Hey, it might have even been my witch senses warning me not to mess with this girl. One can never tell.

Still, she was in charge, she was demanding respect and answers, and I really didn't have any choice but to give them to her. So, after an uncomfortable moment of silence, I cleared my throat and said,

"Hi." The girl's eyes narrowed.

"Hello," she said coldly. The small, blond girl (Angel?) went to stand by her side. I struggled to remember the leader's name. Pat? Mat? No, that wasn't right…Max! Yeah, that was it.

"So, uh, are you going to untie me any time soon?" Max snorted.

"You tried to hurt my family and you think I'm going to untie you willy-nilly?" My face turned a bright shade of red.

"Well, a girl can dream, can't she?" Max's lips twitched.

"Who are you?" I turned and out of the corner of my eye saw a tall, pale boy with reddish-blonde hair. His eyes were unfocused and he was staring at the wall above my head, which I found unbelievably rude. Yes, you may have taken me captive, and, yes, I may be tied up and in your control, but certain things like common courtesy should not be ignored. I glared at him.

"Violeta Parker," I said stiffly.

"Who sent you?" I turned, trying to face the direction of this new voice, only to succeed in falling on my shoulder. I grunted in pain, feeling the bruises in my stomach and arms cry out.

"The mailman," I muttered, trying to right myself. "No one sent me. I just…dropped in." I huffed and puffed as I leaned against the wall, my hair falling in front of my face and shielding me from the stares of my captors. It was around then that I realized how incredibly hot I was. I was still wearing my cardigan, and wherever I was had the heater turned on full blast. I was just wondering if there was any chance of getting away with asking Max to untie me so I could take this ridiculous sweater off when the little blonde girl said,

"She's telling the truth, Max. No one sent her. At least, not that I can tell. She's telling the truth about that much…but she's lying about something. Hiding something. I can't tell what it is yet, though. It's pretty well guarded."

I froze. It wasn't possible that the little girl knew anything, not without reading my mind, that is. I'd done nothing to give away my secret. Well, I mean I _had_ used some grade-A air magick on them, but that would never lead them to the impossible conclusion: that I was a Portal witch. _No, _I told myself, _people haven't believed in witches since the Salem trials! Besides, these kids don't look smart enough. No way they could have done the research required to piece together my witchey nature. No way… _

The little blond girl frowned. "I think she just called us stupid, Max." Max's eyes blazed.

"And why is that?" The little girl shrugged.

"Something about us not being smart enough to piece all of the clues together…something like that. She's pretty hard to read."

And now I went into panic mode.

"Not piecing all the clues together…" Max trailed off. "That sounds like something the voice would say." The dark-haired boy moved closer to Max.

"Do you think she's from the School?"

"It's sure looking like it."

I tried to follow along with their strange conversation, but soon panic took over, and I was lost in my own confusing thoughts. It was obvious these kids were nuts. I mean, one of them had a _voice_ in her head for crying out loud. And now they thought I was from some sort of 'school'? What the heck was up with that?

I tried to put all of the clues I'd gotten from these kids together in my mind.

Creepy (possibly mind reading) kid + a girl who hears voices + other random kids hiding out in an abandoned building = something very familiar. I knew I'd heard of these kids. Read about them somewhere, maybe? Did that mean I was in one of the Other worlds?

"Hey, what's going on in here? Some people are trying to sleep, you know! It's only eight thirty," an indignant voice exclaimed. I turned and saw in place of the voice a small black dog. I gasped.

Now, you may be thinking that I gasped because the dog had spoken. This is not so. When you're a witch you run into some pretty crazy things. Magick has done some insane stuff to humans and animals alike, especially when it comes to Herbal witches, or Spell witches, as they prefer to be called. In fact, my mentor Lucinda's assistant, Dara, had once worked some pretty spooky Enchantments on her cat. Although I don't know the extent of the damage to the animal, I do know that whatever she did to it enables him to sing the alphabet and properly answer a phone. So, a talking dog didn't exactly surprise me.

What_ did_ shock me was the fact that the mutt had two small wings growing out of his backside. In all my years as a Portal witch, working with all kinds of magick and Spells, I had never encountered anything like it.

"Way to go Total," muttered the dark-haired boy. The dog blinked and turned to look at me.

"Who've you got tied up there?" he asked, walking over to the blond girl. She stooped down and scooped him up in her arms, gently stroking the fur between his wings. I couldn't stop staring.

"Some ITEX worker," Max said.

Suddenly, with those words, a chill ran up my spine. I knew which Other world I'd landed in.

As if to confirm my suspicions, a little boy raced in. His long, blond hair flopped adorably in front of his face. He ran up to Max, gibbering on about bombs. Normally I would have tried to listen in on their conversation to determine if the building we were currently in was in danger of exploding, but I was too preoccupied with staring at the boy's back. For, just like the dog, he, too, had wings. They were white with tan undertones, and long enough for the feather tips to brush the floor. My mouth dropped open. I know knew without a doubt where I was and who I was with.

"Holy crap," I breathed. "You're Maximum Ride."

*

Everyone in the room froze. For a moment there was an intense silence. My heart was beating so loud it sounded like a drum. My breath came in gasps, and I was sure I was close to hyperventilating. It was all coming back to me now. Where I'd heard of these kids, why they had wings, ect. I remembered the day I'd first heard of Maximum Ride very well.

"_I swear," Dara said to me, her eyes wide and her fingers fluttering, "this is the best book I've ever read!" I glanced up at her from behind my water magick book. I didn't really care what Dara was going on about—I just wanted to get back to studying. _

"_Sure, sure," I said, turning my attention back to the book in my lap. Dara huffed. _

"_I'm talking about one of the most exciting books since _Harry Potter_, and all you can say is 'Sure, sure'?" I nodded. I could practically feel the heat of Dara's anger from where I sat. _

_She leaned forward, her lips close to my ear. "You're a very arrogant girl," she whispered. I shivered. There were days that Dara scared me. There were days when she didn't seem like just an airhead, but something darker, more sinister. Like right now for instance. The way she whispered in my ear, the way her words chilled me to the bone—it scared the crap out of me. _

_Not that I could ever let her know that. There was no way I was going to let some stupid blond bimbo know she'd frightened me. So I forced myself to shrug nonchalantly, as though the conversation we where having was of no consequence. "That's what they tell me," I said. Dara pulled away, and I almost sighed with relief. _

"_Well, just keep in mind what I've said," Dara said. "Sometimes books are more than just words on paper. You, a Portal witch of all people, should know that." I forced myself to meet Dara's cold blue eyes. _

"_Yes, Dara, I know about the Other worlds, but that doesn't mean I'm actually going to pop in and visit the flock." Dara shrugged. Abruptly all of my fear was gone, replaced with confidence. Dara didn't seem so frightening anymore; not when she was flicking her hair over her shoulder and studying her nails. She was like a shadow; something frightening to look at from far away, but, once a light had been turned on, you saw that there was nothing scary about it. At least, that's what I told myself. _

"_Alright then, don't take my advice." Dara turned to walk away, but she paused at the door. "Remember this, though; sometimes a book can change you life." She seemed so serious that for a moment I believed her. Then I remembered who I was talking to. An idiot Spell witch that couldn't even conjure up a proper thunder storm. So I laughed at her; Dara and her ridiculous fantasies. Dara's shoulders tensed and I thought she might turn to face me again. But she didn't. Instead she strode from the room, my laughter following her the whole way. _

*

"How do you know my name?" Max's words snapped me out of my trip down memory lane. She was standing before me, her fierce eyes boring into me. I nearly flinched, her gaze was so powerful. I suddenly understood why these kids did whatever she asked of them.

"I-I-" I stuttered. I didn't know how to answer without completely giving away my secret. It just wasn't an option to tell her about me being a witch. My secret was sacred and had been kept for thousands of years from humans. I couldn't just go and spill the beans to any random stranger, no matter how strange they themselves were. I would die before revealing my true nature and exposing my brother and sister witches.

I prepared myself mentally for torture. Considering I had never read the Max Ride Other world books, I had no idea if she would let me go if she wasn't satisfied, or kill me. I hoped desperately for the former, but things were looking pretty bleak. My magick had run low after that Portaling I had done, not to mention my air shifting. I was too pooped to pop, and there was no way I was getting past these guys a second time. I momentarily wondered if my mother had ever taken out a Life insurance policy on me.

"Max, I think I know what she's hiding," Angel piped up. Max shot a questioning glance at Angel while I mentally slapped myself. Of course! How could I have been so stupid? The little girl was a mind reader, and I had just been thinking about all of most sacred and protected secrets in the witch community! I had just handed everything needed for exposure to that kid on a silver platter! Oh, god, how much worse could this get?

"What is it, sweetie?" Max asked, her voice suddenly sweet and caring.

"Well, she's been hiding the fact that she's a witch. She doesn't want us to know because she's sworn never to expose her kind to humans." Angel turned to stare at me solemnly. "You don't have to worry," she said. "We're not humans either."

I tried to think of a response to that when the pale boy (who I'd just realized was blind) spoke up. "Ah, Ange, are you sure you read her right? I'm pretty sure she's not a witch."

"Yeah!" the little boy piped up. "Aren't witches, you know, supposed to have long pointy noses and warts? She doesn't have either of those." Angel glared at the boy.

"I know what I heard. She's a witch."

But no one was listening to Angel. The dark-haired boy and Max were giving each other confused looks over Angel's head while the blind boy unashamedly laughed. The younger boy was arguing with Angel about the existence of witches while the dog went off to sunbathe by the window. The only one who was paying attention to me was the dark-skinned girl in the corner. She looked lost and unsure, trying to speak up every once in a while, but never actually doing so. I almost felt sorry for her.

"Well, if you don't believe me I'll prove it to you! I'll prove she's a witch." I snorted as the little girl stormed up to me, her blue eyes narrowed in concentration. I smirked at her. There was no way to tell if someone was a witch, despite what those seventeenth-century morons had thought. The only way for this girl to prove to her flock that I was a witch would be for me for perform magick for them, and that wasn't about to happen any time soon.

And then she did the unexpected. Angel's tiny hands went straight for my throat. She quickly grabbed the necklace that was hanging there, and yanked on the chain. It broke with a snap in the face of her superhumanly-strong hands. Angel pulled away my necklace, which held two small amulets on it. One had been from my mother, passed down from mother to daughter for generations of my family; the other had been given to me by Lucy. Both were symbols of a witch's power, but no ordinary human would no that. They would just take it for regular jewelry, not a symbol of family pride and magick.

"What are you doing?" I asked as Angel held up my necklace before her. The sun caught the jewels in its light, making them sparkle and glow. They were precious gems and worth an unbelievable amount of money. If a jeweler ever caught sight of them he would be likely to faint in awe.

Which was why I didn't appreciate that little girl playing with them. I didn't like the way she was rubbing her grimly little fingers all over my family amulets, her greedy eyes drinking in their wonder. I frowned at her, willing the child to give me back the necklace. She didn't know what kind of power she was playing with; generations of witches had used that necklace, and some of their magick was bound to have rubbed off on it. Playing with something like that could get a person killed.

"See?" the little girl whispered. "Don't you see the magic in this?" I flinched at her mispronunciation of the word 'magick'. Magic was something magicians did at carnivals; magick was what real witches did.

"What magic, Angel, honey?" Max said sweetly, though I could tell her patience was wearing thin. Angel held the necklace in front of her.

"This!" she cried. "Can't you feel it?" Max frowned; she obviously felt nothing. However, some of the younger ones were starting to step forward and inspect the necklace. The boy's eyes widened as he took in the gems, and the darker girl gasped. Even the dog was paying attention now.

"Whoa," the boy said. He reached out tentatively and his fingertips brushed against one of the amulets. He shivered.

"What…what are they?" the darker girl asked. Angel shook her head, holding my gems up higher. Everyone's eyes followed the sparkling jewels, and I got a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

By now Max and the older boys had stopped laughing and shooting each other confused glances. They were all staring at the gems now, too. Well, maybe the _blind_ one wasn't staring exactly, but he was turned in the general direction of the necklace. I didn't know if he just intuitively did that, or he could feel the aura pulsing around the necklace, strong and beautiful.

"Um, I think that you should put that down now," I said to Angel. She didn't respond. In fact, it seemed as though she hadn't even heard me. None of the kids bothered to turn my way or spare me a glance. It was like they were under some sort of Enchantment.

But only when the amulets started to glow a deep blue did I begin to worry.

Blue is a color of power among witches. When our amulets glow blue, it usually means we're working some high voltage magick and are about to strike. The magick I had done on the flock the night before? That was kid's stuff. My amulet probably hadn't even been glowing green at that point. So, whatever was coming out of that necklace was not a force to be trifled with.

"Stop!" I screamed. "Put it down!" By now each flock member had placed a finger on the amulet. Their eyes were wide and distant, and I knew that the power was sending their bodies and minds into overload. Raw power could do that to a person. At times humans had gone mad from too much exposure, or had simply killed themselves. Right now it looked as though the latter might happen as the necklace changed from blueberry blue to lapis lazuli blue. The whole room was filled with an eerie, glowing light.

In a burst of desperation I shot as much power as I could muster down my arms and into my hands. I concentrated it, solidifying the air around the ropes that bound me. For a split second they stretched outward, allowing me enough space to slip my hands through them.

The moment I was free I dashed to the group of incredibly stupid kids. I grabbed the necklace from Angel's hands, and used my remaining power to form a bubble of hard air around the amulets. Magick pulsed within the bubble, raw power trying to escape, the glowing blue lights becoming darker and darker.

Then it exploded. Just like that all the pent up power and energy that had resided within the necklace exploded with a loud _boom! _sending all of us flying. I landed on my back about a foot away from Angel, who was shaking her head. There was a small cloud of smoke surrounding the necklace which had, miraculously, stayed intact.

"What the—report!" Max yelled, sounding frazzled and confused.

"I'm okay," Angel called out, coughing.

"Nothing broken," the youngest boy said.

"I'm okay. I think. I mean, I might have a split lip or something, 'cause my mouth feels kinda weird, but other than that I think I'm okay."

"We're good," the blind boy called said, referring to himself and the darker boy. "But man, that was some explosion! What'd you think, Gaz?" The little boy nodded enthusiastically.

"It was totally awesome!" The two exchanged high-fives while the rest of the females and I shook our heads.

"Well," came an annoyed voice, "I'm glad to see _you're_ all feeling fine. I mean, don't mind me. I'm just the talking dog that you can walk all over." Max rolled her brown eyes.

"How are you, Total?" Total snorted.

"Aside from my damaged pride I think I'll live, Maximum. You won't get rid of me that easy!" Angel giggled and the darker girl tried to hold back laughter.

"Well," I said, standing, "as charming as this little family reunion is, I need to get back to my own family. So, if I can get my necklace I'll just be going." Abruptly all conversation stopped and all eyes (and ears) were trained on me. Max stood, looking me square in the eye.

"You're not going anywhere. You tried to blow us up." My eyebrows shot skyward and my mouth dropped open.

"_Me?_ You think _I_ tried to blow you up? Ha! I saved your sorry butt! If it weren't for me you'd be dead. If you want to thank anyone for the honor of almost signing your death warrant, you can go and thank your mind-reading kid. If _she_ hadn't been messing with my amulets none of this would have happened!" Max was about to reply when Angel spoke up.

"It's kinda true Max. I _was_ playing around with them. I wanted to prove to you guys that she was a witch. Which she is, by the way." I glared at the girl. _Well, there goes six thousand years of witch secrecy._ Angel smiled devilishly.

"A witch, huh?" I turned to see the youngest boy (Gaz?) speaking to me. His big blue eyes were boring into mine, both cautious and excited at the same time. "Do you have any cool powers?"

Before I could respond the dark girl said, "Of course she does, Gazzy! All witches have cool superpowers. Like flying on broomsticks and stuff! Oh, and they love black cats and they make potions, and like, turn into bats and stuff." I winced at her description of witch culture. It was truly an embarrassment to be associated with such things.

"I thought only vampires turned into bats," Gazzy said. The darker girl frowned.

"Oh, yeah," she said.

Before she could launch into another speech the blind boy put a hand over her mouth. He smiled apologetically in my direction as I tried desperately to recall his name.

"It's Iggy." I jumped, staring at Angel, who had just appeared beside me. "His name is Iggy." After a moment of confusion I remembered that she could read minds.

"Oh, ah, thanks," I said awkwardly. I ran my fingers through my hair as the awkward silence stretched. Finally I figured that I was going to make a proper introduction.

"Well, hi. My name's Violeta Parker, but you can call me Vi. I'm fourteen years old and I live in Virginia. And I'm really sorry that my necklace tried to kill you." That got a few half-hearted chuckles and I felt myself start to loosen up a little.

"Well, I'm Max Ride, I'm fourteen, and I currently live nowhere," Max said.

"I'm Fang, I'm fourteen, and ditto for the living-nowhere thing," the dark boy said.

"I'm Iggy, I'm blind, and I'm fourteen. Oh, and I love bombs."

"I'm Nudge, I'm eleven, I think, and I like the color pink and cookies and puppies and learning and—" Nudge was cut off by Iggy.

"I'm the Gasman, I'm eight, and I like farts!" Everyone rolled their eyes.

"I'm Angel, I'm six, and I can read minds." I raised and eyebrow.

"You don't say?" Angel flashed me a wicked grin and I winked at her.

"So…is it true? Are you really a witch?" Iggy asked. I gulped. This was one question I wanted to avoid answering. On the one hand I could try and lie (badly), but that probably wouldn't end well. The only other option was telling the truth, but that was forbidden. I didn't really see a way out of this.

"Yep, she really is!" I glanced down at Angel, who had answered for me.

_Well,_ I thought to myself, _technically if she answers for you, you won't be breaking any of the rules, and you won't have to lie. After all, you may need their help later on. _

"That is awesome," the Gasman said, his eyes widening. "Do you have any cool powers?" Angel's brow furrowed in concentration.

"She can control the elements. She can also Portal…what does Portaling mean?" Angel looked up at me, her eyes large and doe-like. It was very hard to resist those eyes.

"Well…it's kind of complicated," I said, stalling. Each face was fixed upon me, and I was suddenly very self-conscious. I fiddled with the zipper of my cardigan, trying to ignore Max's eyes, which I'm sure were staring holes in my head.

"Basically Portaling is like teleportation, only more complicated," I said, trying to remember how this particular magick had first been explained to me. "You can Portal through time, the dimensions, or the Other worlds. That's basically what I did to get here."

"So, you're, like, from the future?" Nudge asked. I shook my head.

"Like I said, this is a bit hard to explain, but no, I'm not from the future. I'm from my own Other world." Seeing the lost expressions on their faces I decided to use an analogy to explain my situation.

"Have you guys ever been to an airport?" Nudge nodded. "Well, Portaling magick works like an airport. Except, when you picture Portaling you have to think of the airport as being out in the middle of nowhere—no civilization in sight. Basically it's like the midway stop. I fly in from my world to the airport, and then take a separate plane to get somewhere else. Now picture it with Portaling—I conjure a Portal from my home world, go through the vortex, and end up somewhere else. The Portal itself represents the airport, and the two worlds represent both the planes and the destinations. Are you with me so far?" Nudge nodded. She, Angel, Gazzy, and Max were the only ones paying attention to me. Fang and Iggy were off in a corner together discussing something in whispers. I ignored them.

"Okay, now imagine getting to the airport and having no idea what plane you're supposed to get on. If you just picked a random plane, when you try to find your way back home it's going to be harder, right? Well, that's why we Portal witches have these." I held out my necklace and touched my mother's amulet. "They're like our boarding passes; they help us find the right plane. Without them we could end up virtually anywhere." Max frowned.

"So what happened to you? You have your charm with you," she said, pointing at my necklace.

"It's an amulet," I corrected. "But I get your point. What happened to me was I didn't pre-determine where I wanted to go. What good is a locater if you don't program a signal into it? My only guess as to what must have happened is that I ran into a magical conductor; a place where a lot of magical activity has taken place recently. It must have somehow rerouted that energy into me and opened up a Portal. I can't think of any other explanation for what happened," I said. Actually, now that I thought about it, wouldn't I have sensed a magical conductor before running into it? The only way I would have missed it is if it had been shielded. But a Spell witch would have had to have done that; someone who knew me well and had a personal grudge against me….

"Hello? Violeta?" I snapped out of my train of thought. Nudge was waving her hand in front of my face.

"Yeah?"

"Your pants are ringing." I blinked, momentarily confused, until I realized that my cell phone was ringing. I pulled it out of my back pocket and flipped it open. Suddenly all eyes were on me.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey, Vi, it's me," Dara said on the other end. "Listen, I need that book I loaned you on advanced air magick back. Can I swing by your place and pick it up?"

"What? Listen, Dara, forget about the book. I'm in a bit of a jam and I need to talk to Luce right away." Dara snorted on the other end.

"_Sure_ you are. Just get my book to me, okay. Some of us have finals to study for." I suppressed the urge to cuss Dara out over the phone, thinking that if she got too angry she'd hang up, and who knew when I'd get another signal? Other worlds could be confusing places at times.

"I'll get it right to ya Dara," I said through gritted teeth. I heard the shuffling of papers and the squeak of a chair sliding across a wooden floor; Dara must have been getting up.

"Okay, I'll go get Luce now," she said. I tapped my foot impatiently, waiting. When the other kids shot me question glances I responded with, "I'm on hold." Max rolled her eyes, and I was beginning to see that this was a habit of hers.

"Hello? Vi?" I nearly fainted with relief.

"Luce! Oh, god, Luce, it's so good to hear your voice!" Luce chuckled in my ear.

"Calm down Vi. Now, tell me what's wrong." I told her all about the rouge Portal, my fight with the flock, and my current situation. I did it all while pacing around the small room, which I had just realized was an attic. The flock watched me curiously as I spoke, and I tried to ignore their stares.

"Well…that's a problem," Luce said when I'd finished.

"No, really?" I asked with mock surprise.

"Hey, don't you get cheeky with me young lady. God, didn't anyone ever tell you to respect your elders?" I was about to inform Lucy that she was about the furthest thing from an elder when it struck me that I actually had no clue how old Lucy was. She had an ageless face; there were days that she seemed no older than me and days when she seemed thirty years my senior. I had heard of witches that were like this: young on the outside but old on the inside. There were some witches that lived to be as old as five hundred. I knew my own mother was around sixty-six herself, though she looked barley half that age. So, instead of answering, I held my tongue.

"Can you help me?" I asked. Luce snorted.

"Can Dara's cat burp the National Anthem?" I gave a sigh of relief.

"Then you'll help me."

"Of course I will. Well, as soon as the Portals clear up." My blood froze.

"The what?" I asked stupidly.

"The Portals. They're blocked up right now, but as soon as they open up I'll help you get home. Tell me, what color is my amulet right now?" I glanced down at it. The jewel was glowing a bright orange. I frowned, having never seen an amulet turn that color before.

"It's a really deep orange." There was a pause.

"Hmm," Luce finally said. "Hold on a sec, will ya?" She put me on hold and I heard some shuffling around. Soon Luce was humming to herself on the other end. Suddenly the humming came to an abrupt end. "Oh, dear," I heard her mumble.

"What's wrong? Luce, what's going on?" I asked. Lucy cleared her throat.

"Ah, well, it seems as though you're going to be stuck in the Other world for longer than I thought," she said.

"How long?" Luce didn't answer, and a horrible feeling consumed the pit of my stomach. "Luce, how long am I going to be here?"

"Well, if my estimation is correct, which I'm sure it is, I'd say you'll be there around…two weeks." My mouth dropped open. My eyes bulged out of my head.

"What?! You're not serious. Please, Luce, tell me you're kidding!" I heard a sigh come from the other end of the line.

"Unfortunately, no. The Portals are about as clogged as Times Square during rush hour, and there's no way you're going to get through for another couple weeks. I'm sorry hun, I really am. I can't even figure out how you _got _yourself into an Other world in the first place. You must've been using a heck of a lotta magick to do it."

I tried to listen to Lucy, I really did. But her words just weren't making her way through my kiss-addled brain. They simply did not compute.

_Two weeks? _What the heck was I going to do for two weeks here? Oh, god, I was going to miss Christmas! My mom was going to have a total panic attack! Me, her baby, alone in an unknown Other world with no money, no resources, and running low on magick. I stared to hyperventilate.

"You have to come get me," I blurted out. Luce stopped talking.

"Huh? Listen, Vi, I told you that I can't. There's no way I'd be able to get a signal through! If I try to Portal to you now I could end up virtually anywhere. Me getting lost and stranded somewhere isn't going to do either of us any good." I tried not to panic. I tried to listen to Luce's soothing words, but the hysteria was taking over. What was I going to do? Where was I going to go?

"But what am I supposed to do?" I asked.

"Well, first things first, do you have a place to stay? Will Max let you stay with her?" I glanced up at Max as Lucinda spoke these words, and an overwhelming sense of guilt came over me. Who was I to burden these kids who already had so many troubles with my own problems? I couldn't just ask to move in with them and mooch off their food for two weeks!

"I…I don't know Luce…I mean, why should she? I'm just a random stranger she ran into. Why should she trust me?" Lucy was silent for a moment, contemplating this.

"Well, what if it were a trade? She lets you stay with her for something in return."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Well, do you think you could teach any of them the Art?" I stiffened.

"You're not serious," I murmured.

"Oh, I'm deathly serious. Look, here's the way I see it; in exchange for letting you stay with her you teach Max and her family some magick. Figure out what they specialize in and give them a few lessons. It's a win-win situation for everyone."

"A win-win situation? I'd be giving out some of the most sacred secrets in all of magical history, and you're just peachy with the idea?" Luce snorted.

"Sacred-shmacred," was all she had to say on the matter. I was really starting to re-think my mother's choice in a mentor for me.

"Anyway," Lucy continued, "I've gotta go now. I think I just heard the microwave ding, and I'm dying from starvation. Hmm, I think I can smell my burrito!"

"What?" I asked, totally confused. "You can't hang up now! I'm in the middle of a crisis!"

"You'll be fine," Luce reassured me. "I gotta go now! Good luck, hon."

"Wait!" I yelled. "Luce! Don't you hang up on me! Lucy! Lucinda!"

But she was gone.

By now the rest everyone was staring at me. I was practically having a panic attack, and was freaking out. I shouted into the dead connection for another minute before hitting redial. But it was as I'd feared; no signal. The only way I would be able to talk to Luce was if she called me.

After a moment of defeat I closed the phone. I still couldn't believe she'd hung up on me.

"She hung up on me," I said to no one in particular. "I'm going to kill that bitch when I get home." Angel and the Gasman giggled at my profanity while Max shot me a stern glance.

"So," Fang said after a moment. "What was that all about?"

"That was my idiot mentor telling me that the Portals are jammed and I won't be able to go home for another two weeks!" I sighed and kneaded my temples, trying to ease the pain of my growing headache. Gaz gave me a half-hearted pat on the shoulder while Angel stalked over the corner of the room Total was lying in. Iggy was fiddling with something mildly suspicious under his shirt while Nudge shot glances at Max and Fang, who were both silent and in thought.

"Can't Violeta just stay with us?" Nudge blurted out. Max shot me the Death Glare before turning to Nudge, putting a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Lamby, honey, we can't. We barley have enough money to support ourselves, and we can't take in anyone else. Besides, what if there's an emergency? She can't fly away with us." I nearly snorted at her lame excuse.

"Yeah, but she can use her weird powers to help us out, right?" Gazzy pointed out. I nodded.

"Yeah, I think I've got a few tricks up my sleeve." Max shot me the Death Glare again.

"I think she could be useful," Iggy said. I turned to face him, surprised. I hadn't expected him to come to my aid.

"Yeah! She could teach us how to do that weird explosion thing, right? 'Cause that would be so awesome!" I bit my lip to keep from laughing too hard. That kid was just so dang cute when he when on about bombs.

"No, she shouldn't stay. We don't know anything about her," said Angel. I was a bit shocked. I had expected Angel to be all for letting me stay, but she was staring at me with a strange and forlorn expression on her face. I let it slide.

"I agree with Ange," Fang said. Now _there's _a shocker. Tall, dark, and silent (and possibly emo) doesn't want me to stay. Who woulda thunk it?

Angel giggled at my comments despite herself.

Max looked like she was about to say something when I raised my hand, school-girl style.

"Um, can I say something?" Max nodded.

"Well," I said nervously, "what if, in exchange for letting me stay with you, I teach you guys the Art? What if I teach you all magick?"

**Dun-dun-dun! A cliffhanger! Don't you just love those? **

**Caris: No, we don't. No one likes cliffhangers. **

**Vi: Caris! Jeez, where did you come from? **

**Caris:-shifty eyes- Somewhere. I get around. **

**VI: Okay then…**

**Caris: ….**

**VI: Let's sign off now. I don't have anything more to say. You? **

**Caris: Nah, I'm good. **

**Caris/Vi: Remember, R&R people! **


	3. That Little Red Dress

**A/N: Hey people of the internet! It's me, Violeta, out to write another chapter of Portaling: Do's and Don'ts. Enjoy! **

**Dedication: To Warrior-Wolf1 and Skizzorsaregangsta. Thanks for the advice and support. You people flipping rock. **

**Disclaimer: Gah. I thought we went through this already…I don't own Max Ride. Some old dude who has more plot holes than I have fingers does. **

Part 2: Air Magick

Chapter 3: That Little Red Dress

The first time I realized I wasn't like other little girls, was exactly nine years and three months ago.

_It was dark outside—abnormally so. Clouds rumbled overhead. Branches on the trees swayed menacingly, occasionally crashing against my bedroom window. I watched the storm from my window seat, my eyes wide and my mouth agape. _

_A normal five-year-old girl would have been frightened. She would have called out to her mother, seeking safety and warmth. Not me. I was happy to stay in my room and watch the lightshow. Thunder crackled and lightning flashed. I watched with awe as these two natural occurrences fought to control the sky above. _

"_Violeta?" my mother called. I winced at the use of my full name, but responded dutifully. _

"_I'm in here, Mom. I'm okay." My mother poked her head through the door to my room. Her light brown hair was swept off her face in a messy bun, her green eyes glittering with worry. I couldn't understand the reason for this. I'd already been taught how to count lighting's distance from myself; my count had come to eight Mississippi's. Surely eight miles away would be enough to calm my mother's panicked state. _

"_Good, good, you're still here," she said, wiping her hands on her jeans. I frowned. Where else would I be but here? _

"_Am I supposed to be somewhere else?" I asked. My mother paled. _

"_No, certainly not. You'll stay right where you are. In this room. Do you hear me?" Her words didn't register with my brain. I didn't understand why mother was getting so freaked out—where would I possibly go? _

"_Yeah…" I said. She gave me a shaky smile. _

"_Good. Now, would you like something to eat?" My face brightened. I hoped that my mom had baked cookies for me. _

"_Yep!" I said, jumping off the window seat and trotting over to my mother. "Can I have a cookie?" She grinned. _

"_You bet, kiddo. I'll be right back." My mother kissed me on the forehead before she walked out of the room. I dashed back to the window seat, pressing my nose against the cold glass. I closed my eyes, feeling the hum of electricity in the air. _

_It was like heat. That was the feeling I got deep inside, even with my face pressed against the cool glass, my breath fogging the window. Heat. A warm, fluttery feeling that started deep inside. I let this buzzing feeling wash over me, concentrating on the crackle of thunder and the shrieking of the wind. It was like a beautifully choreographed dance, a symphony of musicians all playing to the same tune. The lighting flashed bright against my closed lids. I could feel the energy from where I sat. I felt in sync with the world. With nature. I let the heat inside of me rise…rise until it covered my body, from the tips of my fingers to the soles of my feet…what a wonderful feeling…like I was floating…_

BAM!_ The sound of my bedroom door opening with a slam startled me out of my trance. I opened my eyes to stare at my door. It was singing on its hinges, banging noisily against the wall. I got up to close the door when I realized…when I saw that I could see through my hands. _

"_Ahhh!" I screamed. I glanced down at my body; I was completely see-through! I screamed and screamed, calling out to my mother, but my calls were lost, swept away by a furious wind and the crackle of thunder. I tried to run, to hide, but my legs wouldn't move. It was as though they weren't there anymore. I was afraid to look down, afraid I would see that my legs really _weren't _there, that they had disappeared on me. I cried out for my mother a final time, my voice dying, fading, dropping, leaving…I was leaving…_

…_A rush of intense wind. My window was flung open; the curtains flapping around me like an overgrown bird's wings. I shrieked, but my voice had deserted me. I was gone. Soon I couldn't feel, couldn't hear anything but the rushing sound of wind. I was being swept away, fast as heck, into some unknown land. I felt the heat, now unbearable, vibrate beneath my skin, as if it wanted to pull me apart, to burn me alive…I was still going, still rushing by, never stopping…_

OOF! _Until I did stop. I landed in a strange forest. The heat slowly deserted my body; the buzzing feeling left as well. I was sitting on some crumpled leaves, alone, with no way home. So, being only five-years-old, I started to cry. _

_I stood on shaky legs and wandered around the forest, occasionally calling out for my mom or my dad. But even then I knew they couldn't help me. They were far away, back in our house, watching the fabulous storm and baking cookies. I wondered if they'd even realized I was gone, yet. I hoped so. _

"_You know you're the one." I froze. Someone was speaking. It was a male voice, hard and demanding. It was coming from nearby…just behind those pine trees…_

_Without thinking things through I rushed over to the trees. I made my way through them, trying not to trip on their oversized roots. I steadied myself on the rough branches, and came to a clearing. _

_Before me was the man who had spoken. He couldn't have been older than twenty; he had deep black hair and pale skin. He was wearing a black trench coat and rain boots. Kneeling before him was a girl; she was younger, maybe seventeen. Her golden-brown hair was hanging at her shoulders, and she was wearing a red evening dress. Her mascara was smeared and her nails were broken. There were a few chains around her neck, and at the ends of them dangled some pretty jewels. She had her hands in a small creek; she seemed to be washing them. I watched the duo with morbid fascination. _

"_I'm nothing to you," the girl hissed. Her voice was rough and throaty; she'd been crying. "I will never help you. Do you hear? Never." The man chuckled. He stooped low until he was at eye level with the girl. She bravely met his gaze. _

"_You will. You will do all that I ask, child. Everything." She laughed. _

"_That's where you're wrong. I won't. I'll never do as you ask. Never." The man drew his hand back and slapped the girl's cheek. I held back a gasp, though the girl never wavered. She just sat there, taking it, letting her cheek turn red. _

"_You will," he hissed. "You know my plans are not for evil, yet you refuse me. Why? What part of my actions has upset you?" The girl sneered. _

"_Everything about you upsets me. No, cross that, everything about you _disgusts_ me." The man's lip curled. _

"_You say that now. You are young and foolish. You will see—you will soon see the method behind my madness." The girl shook her head violently, her hair swinging back and forth. _

"_Never. I'll die first." Her voice cracked on the last word, finally displaying some emotion. He bent down again, this time caressing her cheek. _

"_There, there, young one. All you need is time. Soon you will see things my way. I am sure of it." She started to shake her head when they both froze. The sound of a twig snapping reverberated throughout the forest, and I stared down at my own foot in horror. Suddenly both the girl and man were staring at me. My mouth hung open and I felt numb. _

"_RUN!" The girl tackled the man in the trench coat while I stood paralyzed with fear. _

"_Run, damnit! I'll hold him off! Just run!" _

_She didn't need to tell me twice. _

_I ran as fast as my small legs could carry me. I tore through the forest at almost an inhuman speed—faster than I'd ever run before. I panted, feeling the familiar heat surge through me. I heard the sound of an enraged yell—the man. That only encouraged me to run faster. I ran until the trees blurred, until the birdcalls melted together, until the girl's screams and the man's yells could no longer be heard. I ran and burned until I could no longer feel my legs or the cool outdoor air, or the crunchy grass beneath my feet…_

_Moments later I landed safe in my bedroom, stunned, and with one incredible story to tell my mom. _

*

I woke up the next day feeling refreshed and ready for action. The flock was already up and, amazingly, letting the blind kid cook them breakfast. I briefly wondered if Max had a death wish until I saw Iggy prepare a stack of pancakes, French toast, bowls of fruit, and a pot of coffee, all without spilling a drop of whatever he was making on the kitchen counter. This was about the time I decided that Max had made a brilliant move in hiring the blind guy as our chief.

I dug into my breakfast with as much gusto as the hungry mutants around me, clearing off three pancakes and a bowl of fruit in five minutes flat. I drank a cup of coffee (decaf—no need for a caffeine rush) and then made my way to the bathroom to wash up.

I took my time, wandering around the house, conscious that this was my first proper viewing of it. It turned out that there were three levels to it; the attic, the bedrooms and one bathroom, and then the main rooms and guest bathroom downstairs. I wasn't entirely sure how six runaways and their talking dog had acquired such a nice house, and I wasn't about to ask.

I poked my head into the living room and studied the single couch and chair set. There was a small T.V. placed next to the fireplace, and a coffee table with magazines on it. I moved on to see the bathroom, which was completely white with a fish-themed shower curtain. There were three bedrooms total; Angel and Gazzy shared one, Nudge and Max took the one with the best view, and Iggy and Fang shared the one that lead to the skylight. I'd slept in a sleeping bag in the attic last night with Total as my guard dog ("I prefer the term 'body guard'," he'd told me.) and was hoping to be moved into an actual bed later tonight. The hard wooden floors hadn't done any favors for my bruised ribs and aching back.

When I was done exploring I took a quick shower and washed my hair with the shampoo provided. Ariel Kids' wasn't my normal brand choice, but I decided to simply take what I could get. When I exited the shower I found fresh clothes lying in a pile for me. I grinned and slipped into a comfortable pair of jeans and a baggy T-shirt before heading out into the living room. I was searching for a comb and a hair-tie when Gazzy bounded up to me, his blond hair flopping adorably in front of his face. I grinned at him and leaned against the wall, my amulets resting comfortably against my chest.

"What's up?" I asked him.

"Well…I was kinda wondering…were you serious? About what you said before? Are you really going to teach us _magic_?" I winced again at his unknowing slaughter of that ancient word.

"Of course I was serious," I said, running my fingers through my hair.

"Then when are you going to teach us?" he asked, staring up at me with innocent blue eyes.

Yeah, right. Innocent.

"What time is it?" I asked nonchalantly. Gazzy checked his Scooby-Doo wrist watch.

"Ten," he said. I nodded thoughtfully.

"I guess now is as good a time as any." Gazzy's mouth dropped open.

"Are you serious? You're going to teach us, like, right now?" I nodded again, standing up straight.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do all day?" I snapped. Gazzy winced, and I regretted my outburst. I was still pissed off at Luce for abandoning me here, missing my mom, and cursing my magick. I hadn't meant to take it out on him.

"What I mean is, as long as I'm here, I might as well be useful, right?" I amended. Gaz gave me a weak smile, and I followed him into the living room, vowing to never take out my misplaced anger on him again.

Max was seated on the couch next to Nudge, flipping through channels on the T.V. when we walked in. She tensed at our arrival, but tried not to show any outward stress, playing it cool and calm. Nudge turned to me expectantly, her dark eyes glowing with excitement. I decided that I liked Nudge, even if she did talk too much. She reminded me a bit of my sisters.

"It's time," I said dramatically. Max raised an eyebrow.

"For…?" I narrowed my eyes. She was killing the moment.

"For me to teach you guys. You know, our agreement? It's probably time I held up my end of the deal." Max glared suspiciously at me for a moment. My heart pounded in my chest. I had no doubt that she could kill me. Sure, my magick had replenished itself a bit from my burn-out last night, but she was lightning fast and superhumanly strong. Not only that, but she had five other kids to back her up. Just because she didn't _seem_ murderous, didn't mean she wouldn't make an exception for me.

But instead of snapping at me or attacking, she simply called out to her flock. "Guys! Assembly in the living room, ASAP." I only had to wait a moment before the flock plus Total filed into the living room, all of them staring at me. Angel came to sit beside Max and Nudge, while Iggy and Gazzy stood off to the side. Fang slid into one of the chairs by the corner, and I could've _sworn_ that he vanished into the shadows.

"So…" I said after an awkward moment, "am I teaching you all, or would some of you rather not participate? Learning the Art takes patience and hard work; it isn't something that's done in a single afternoon. So, any of you willing to dedicate the proper time and effort into this I'll gladly teach, but if you're not willing, don't bother." As I finished my mini-monologue I could see the wheels turning in each of the flock's brains'. I was glad that they were mature enough to take this seriously.

"I'll do it," Gazzy said after a moment. I nodded at him.

"I'm in!" Nudge squealed. I couldn't help but grin; I'd been hoping she would say yes. Out of all the flock members, I had to admit that I liked Gazzy and Nudge the best. It would be a pleasure teaching them.

"I'd like to learn," Angel said. This surprised me. Angel hadn't spoken to me all morning, and whenever she did look my way I could feel her questioning gaze. But, apparently, this girl was full of surprises, because now she was staring at me with excited eyes, gleaming in anticipation of learning something new. I nodded shyly at her. I had the feeling that Angel would be the hardest flock member of all to win over. Like her leader, she didn't trust easy. I would have to prove myself to them somehow.

Angel read my thoughts and, for a moment, shot me a gorgeous smile.

"Is that everyone?" I asked, my gaze flicking from Max to Iggy since I couldn't seem to find Fang. Where had that kid gone to? A Hot Topic sale?

"Yeah, I think I'll pass," Iggy said. This didn't really surprise me, though Gazzy looked shocked.

"But, Ig, she could totally teach us how to blow something up! Something supernatural!" Iggy gave Gazzy a small smile and ruffled his hair.

"I'll leave that up to you, then. Me? I think I'll stick to wires and stuff. More on my level. You can handle the magical explosives area, cool?" Gazzy seemed disappointed, but nodded anyway.

I clapped my hands together playfully, drawing the attention of the flock. "Okay, guys," I said, my mother's amulet glowing dangerously, "let's get started."

*

It was decided by a unanimous vote that our little magick sessions would be held in the attic. It was either there or up on the roof, and considering the fact that it was the middle of December and about twelve degrees outside, we all decided it would be better to hold our sessions within range of a working heater.

I felt both nervous and excited as I made my way up the stairs to the attic. I'd never done this teaching thing before, and had no clue whether I'd be any good at it. Still, I knew I had to give it a shot. I had nowhere else to go and figured that if I was going to stay I might as well make myself useful. Maybe Luce was right; maybe I was overreacting. Maybe this would be easy.

When we reached the attic my students (just thinking that word thrilled me, though it did make me feel a little old) unfolded their wings into a relaxed position and stood about five feet away from me, their wide eyes following my every movement. I suddenly realized I had no clue what to say.

"So," I began, holding my hands together in front of my stomach, "during this first class we'll be learning the basics. And, no, before you even ask Gazzy, the basics do _not_ include blowing things up." Gazzy pouted while Angel and Nudge smirked. "The basics will only include finding out what you all specialize in, though I have a pretty good idea, and showing you what magick actually is. Questions?" My face was flushed and I felt proud of my little speech.

"Um, yeah," Nudge said, waving her hand at me. I nodded so she would continue. "Well, what do you mean by 'specialize in'?"

"Good question. What I mean by specializing is what element you can control the best. Many non-witches take a liking to earth shifting, though I have a feeling that won't be the case for you guys."

"Why not?" Gazzy asked before I could continue.

"Well, let's just say I have a hunch that you'll be more inclined to air magick." Gazzy's eyes widened in understanding and Nudge's wings twitched.

"Okay, if there are no more questions…let's begin!"

I started out by showing everyone simple examples of the four types of shifting; air, water, earth, and fire. I figured the best example of these types of magick would come from Avatar: The Last Airbender. While the show didn't get many things right, it still proved to be a helpful analogy when trying to explain the different types of shifting to my students. I let sparks of energy dance of my fingertips when explaining fire magick, made a small ball of solid air for air magick, caused some water in a glass to start bubbling for water, and had some dirt mold into the shape of my hand for earth. With each new trick I showed them their eyes grew wider and hungrier. They were hooked now and wanted to learn all I had to offer them. It was pretty easy to determine their specialties; a simple aura Enchantment that even a human could pull off proved them to be air shifters. With my suspicions confirmed all that was left to do was teach them how to reach out and grab the magick around them—not as easy as it sounds.

"Okay guys, now comes the tricky part. I'm going to have to teach you how to feel the magick around you. We'll have to do this one at a time since this is a pretty hands-on thing. Who wants to go first?" Angel, Gazzy, and Nudge glanced back and forth at each other, and I wondered if they were having a silent conversation.

Nudge took a step forward. "I'll go first," she said bravely. I gave her a reassuring smile.

"That's the spirit," I said, holding out my hands. "I bet you'll get this in no time." Nudge smiled back and took my hands. I asked her to close her eyes, explaining that sight would only confuse her and add to what was already going to be a challenge. I hadn't ever taught anyone how to open themselves to the energy around them before, though I could remember how my mother had done it for me. I could remember the way she'd taken my hands in her own and shown me the magick that surrounded us all. I could still remember the way she opened my eyes to the world around me. The way she'd changed my life forever.

"Now concentrate," I murmured. "I want you to think about the air surrounding you. Think about the way it feels, the life within it. Concentrate on the energy around you."

We held hands for a moment as Nudge's face screwed up in concentration. I held my breath as her hands squirmed and her eyes scrunched up.

But after a minute Nudge let her breath go and released her hold on my hands. "I can't do it," she told me. "I can't feel whatever it is I'm supposed to feel." I frowned, watched as she kicked at the wooden floor with one foot. I was missing something…missing a key step. What was it my mother had done for me?

"_Mommy," _I remembered saying, _"I can't do it. I don't understand. What am I supposed to do?" My mother sighed, though she didn't ease her grip on my hands. _

"_Just feel, Violeta. Feel the energy that surrounds us. You're a witch. It will come to you." I held back tears. _

"_But, what if it doesn't! What if I'm no good?" I asked, holding back tears._

"_It will," my mother reassured me. "You just need something to start you off. A boost, maybe?" My mother's eyes unfocused, and I could tell she was reaching deep inside of herself for something. _

_Suddenly a jolt of energy passed through my hands. I gave a small yelp and, while I was distracted, the magick my mother had been suppressing flowed through me. It was beautiful and pure; I gasped. I had never imagined it would be this wonderful. This beautiful…_

I knew what I needed to give Nudge now.

Energy. Magick in its purest form. That was the only way.

"Nudge," I whispered, taking her hands again, "close your eyes. I'm going to try something different." Nudge frowned but didn't protest. Her eyes fluttered shut, and Gazzy and Angel leaned in to see what I was doing.

I summoned up a small burst of energy. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to startle her. I sent the energy out of my fingertips and into Nudge's palms, praying my plan would work. It did. Caught off guard, Nudge yelped just as I had, allowing me send more pure magick into her system. Gazzy and Angel watched with great interest as Nudge bit her lip, tucked in her wings, and squeezed her eyes shut tight. I knew what she must have been feeling; overwhelmed, slightly vulnerable, wierded-out even. All the things _I _had felt.

Soon the magick I had sent out died down. I let go of Nudge's hands, allowing her to process some of what had happened. Gazzy sent me a nervous glance as Angel studied Nudge's still form. For a moment there was complete silence, a rare thing, I'm sure, in the Ride family.

And then Nudge opened her eyes.

The change was immediate. I could tell right away that Nudge had felt the energy, the air, the magick. That she had been exposed to what had been laying just beyond her human senses her whole life—and she'd enjoyed it. She smiled up at me, her white teeth glowing against her darker skin.

"Well?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"It was…" Nudge was, miraculously, at a loss for words. "It was incredible. It's like I can feel the whole _world_ buzzing around me, you know? It feels all tingly and stuff. Will it always feel like this? Do I get to have cool powers now? Why do you look blue-ish while Gazzy and Angel don't? What color am I? Is it pretty? Can you—"

Ah, well. I'd known the silence wasn't meant to last.

"Nudge, Nudge," I said, resting a hand on her shoulder, "chill. I'll answer all of your questions later, okay? Right now I need to show Angel and Gazzy what I showed you." Nudge nodded and let me take Angel's hands in my own.

I repeated the same process over again with Angel and Gazzy. Soon they were all glowing, their auras bright with the sudden influx of raw magick. I knew that the pure golden light surrounding them would fade with time, but, right now it was amazing to look at. It wasn't every day that you got to introduce a new practitioner to the Art, much less three. I felt an odd sort of joy sweep over me, making me smile. I'd just given these kids a wonderful gift. Magick was something you could use your entire life. It never really went away; it followed you, always in the back of your mind and thoughts. Though they would never be able to reach the power levels of a natural-born witch, I was still pretty sure I could teach them a thing or two.

To celebrate a job well done I decided to teach my little Air Mages a simple air shifting trick. It involved creating a small burst of energy and focusing it into a ball, and then releasing it. It had taken me a good two weeks to master this little trick, so I didn't expect them to get it right away.

I was wrong. Apparently these kids weren't done surprising me, since they were all playing a game of shifter-tag within the hour. I watched, openmouthed, as Angel accurately aimed a ball of wind and sent it flying at Gazzy's head. He ducked, allowing the burst of wind to hit Total in the face. The siblings burst into laughter while Total muttered something about getting no respect anymore, and stalking out of the room. I tried to hide my giggles and look sympathetic, but I think I failed.

"Hey, Vi!" Nudge called from across the room. "Watch this!" Nudge pressed her hands together, concentrating the magick and energy around her into a semi-solid form. She sent the ball of air through the air, directly at me. I laughed, easily dodging. I had years of experience on Nudge, and I figured it would be a while before she caught up to me.

"What the heck is going on in here?" I heard a voice ask. I only just had time to glance over my shoulder and see Max standing in the doorway, hands on her hips, before Nudge's air ball smashed into her. Max let out a loud 'Oof,' before stumbling backward and falling down the stairs. We heard a small crash, bang, and then the reassuring call of, "I'm okay!" There was silence.

For about thirty seconds. Then we all started laughing.

I heard Max grumble something about Wicked Witches of the West from the bottom of the stairs, but I was laughing too hard to really pay attention.

Okay. So I _may_ not have made everyone in the flock happy about my being there.

But, hey. Three out of six is good odds, right?

**A/N: Well, I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter, 'cause I've got no clue when the next one will be up. Hopefully soon, but we'll see. The homework has been hectic lately, and I'm going away on vacation soon. Still, I'll try and post again before I leave! Remember, R&R! **

**Caris: Yes, please do. It might make her shut up for a full five minutes. **

**Vi: -grumbles- Get out of my story, Caris. **

**Caris: Fine, fine. Be that way. **

**Caris/Vi: Review! **


End file.
